REQUEST FOR COMMENTS (“RFC”)
DRAFT PROPOSED WORK FOR DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATION OF COMMERCIAL SAFETY REST AREAS (“CSRAs”) ON HIGHWAY 2
This Request for Comments ("RFC") includes a Draft Proposed Work for Development and Operation of Commercial Safety Rest Areas (“CSRAs”) on Highway 2, including attachments, for vendors to review and provide comments on to assist the Province with development, enhancement, and clarification of the subsequent NRFP prior to its release.
Through this process, Alberta Transportation Economic Corridors (“TEC” or the “Province”) is inviting prospective and interested Vendors to review the attached Exhibit 2 – Draft Proposed Work for Development and Operation of Commercial Safety Rest Areas (“CSRAs”) on Highway 2 documentation and, subject to the following, provide a Submission to the Submission Address identified on the cover page.
Traditionally, Safety Rest Areas (SRAs) are publicly owned and operated sites with direct access from the Adjacent Highway, providing opportunities for vehicles to pull to manage fatigue, address vehicle issues and use the washrooms (if available). SRAs also provide long-distance haulers a place to take a legally required break. The majority of the SRAs in Alberta have low utilization by the traveling public due to a lack of amenities and inadequate washroom facilities.
A Commercial Safety Rest Area (CSRA) is a site that provides roadside facilities located along major highway corridors with direct ingress/egress to traffic from the adjacent highway. These facilities are intended to provide the travelling public with enhanced amenities like all-season, 24-hour washrooms safe parking, as well as offering commercial retail activities including fuel supply, convenience retail, quick serve food outlets and/or vending machines.
The Province understands that the previous attempts to develop CSRAs did not result in agreements for the following reasons:
- The remote nature of certain sites would be challenging to construct and operate profitably, including the need for Vendors to pay rent;
- Sites located on lower volume highways would need to be bundled with ones on high traffic corridors;
- Too much risk was placed on the vendors; and
- Vendors wanted an opportunity to provide input prior to issuance of any future RFP/NRFP.
As a result, the Province is interested in receiving input from vendors regarding what would be needed to make these CSRAs financially viable. Changes from prior attempts include the following:
- Proposed sites are limited to the Highway 2 corridor between Calgary and Edmonton;
- Rent will not be charged; and
- The Province is interested in learning what additional supports Vendors would require to make the three (3) sites profitable prior to issuing the Negotiated Request for Proposals (NRFP).
Following completion of the RFC process, the Province anticipates initiating a competitive procurement process NRFP seeking proposals from qualified Vendors for the opportunity to enter into lease agreements for the development, operation, and maintenance of CSRAs at up to three (3) selected Safety Rest Area (“SRA”) locations along Highway 2 between Calgary and Edmonton.
The project objectives are as follows:
- To make sites available along Highway 2 between Calgary and Edmonton (Dickson-Stevenson Stopping House (existing SB), Wolf Creek SRA (existing SB), and a proposed SB one near Millet to Vendors to develop up to three (3) CSRAs.
- To support the Vendor’s ability to develop the CSRA(s) profitably, including expanding, constructing, and servicing the sites but leaving the responsibility for operation of the facilities to the Vendor(s) and;
- To have Vendors provide all season washrooms, safe facilities, and commercial services that enhance the travelling experience for all Albertans, visitors to the province, and the commercial trucking industry.
The Province will consider proposals from Vendors seeking to develop from one Site up to all three (3) Sites through the NRFP process. The Province may seek to enter into multiple Leases with such Vendors to the extent that these locations do not present conflicts with respect to other Vendor’s Site Selections. For clarity, conflicts with respect to Site Selections refers to situations where (1) Province decides to enter into leases with more than one Vendor and (2) each such Vendor is seeking one or more of the same Sites.
